Where to find your Alaska sample ballot for 2026

The Alaska Division of Elections sample-ballot page provides the official 2026 general election ballots. The listings include English ballots and translations for communities where language assistance is provided.

For the November 3 general election, select the 2026 General → English → Ranked Choice listing if you want an English ballot. The state also publishes a separate translated-ballot listing.

1. Open the government ballot directory.Start at the Division’s Sample Ballots page, not an old image shared on social media.
2. Select the correct election.Choose 2026 General Election. Do not select the August primary or the October Regional Educational Attendance Area election by mistake.
3. Choose your preferred language.Select English or the appropriate translated-ballot collection.
4. Find the House district matching your registration.The state publishes multiple district-specific versions. Open the link for the correct House district and, when relevant, judicial district.
5. Review the entire ballot.Read all pages, including any ballot measures, judicial retention questions, instructions and write-in spaces that appear on your version.

How to identify the right Alaska House district and precinct

A voter in Anchorage and a voter in Juneau may see different candidates, even though both participate in the same statewide general election.

Alaska has 40 State House districts. District assignments determine local legislative contests, and your judicial district may affect judicial retention questions. Ballot versions are not interchangeable.

Use the Alaska Division of Elections’ official polling-place and precinct directory and available voter-information services to verify your assigned location and district. If you recently moved, updated your registration, or cannot identify your district, contact your regional elections office.

Why two nearby addresses can have different ballots

Legislative district boundaries don’t necessarily follow city or borough lines. One community may be split across districts, while rural districts may cover numerous communities spread across a large geographic area.

Alaska also rotates candidate order in its ballot design. The Division says State House candidates are shown using its randomized alphabetical ordering procedure, Senate candidates follow district-dependent rotation, and other candidate positions rotate from House District 1. Seeing a different name at the top does not necessarily mean a different race.

What’s on the Alaska 2026 general election ballot?

The November 2026 election includes federal and state contests, with the exact local portion determined by the voter’s district. The Division’s 2026 general election candidates directory is a useful supplement to the printed sample.

Not all of these sections will necessarily appear on every voter’s ballot. For example, Senate seats are staggered, and judicial questions depend on the applicable judicial district and the officials up for retention.

How to research candidates before voting

Start with the state’s candidate directory, then consult the official election information page for voter-pamphlet and ballot-measure resources. Compare candidates using their stated positions and public records rather than treating the sample ballot itself as a voter guide.

For measures, read the exact official text and explanatory materials. A short yes/no label can have significant consequences that aren’t apparent from its title alone.

How ranked-choice voting works on Alaska’s general election ballot

In Alaska’s general election, voters can rank candidates rather than choose only one. You can rank as many or as few candidates as you wish.

Under the Alaska Division of Elections’ ranked-choice guidance, you put your favorite candidate in the first-choice column, your next preference in the second-choice column, and continue in order.

1. Mark a single first choice.Fill in the oval for one candidate in the first-choice column.
2. Optionally choose a second preference.Use the second-choice column for a different candidate, if you want that backup ranking.
3. Continue only as far as you wish.You may rank additional candidates. You are not required to rank every name.
4. Review your selections.Make sure no candidate has been assigned the same rank as another candidate and no column contains multiple selections.

If a candidate earns a majority of the continuing votes in the first round, that candidate wins. If not, counting continues through additional rounds: the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and eligible ballots transfer to the next ranked continuing candidate. Your vote counts for only one candidate at a time.

Can you rank only one candidate?

Yes. Your first-choice vote counts. If that candidate is eliminated and you haven’t expressed another usable preference, your ballot no longer contributes to later rounds for that contest.

What if you skip a ranking?

The Division explains that one skipped ranking can be bypassed, but skipping two or more rankings in a row can make later rankings unusable. It is simpler to rank consecutively—first, second, third—if you want more than one choice.

What if you choose two candidates for the same rank?

That is an overvote for that ranking. Under Alaska’s rules, the affected ranking and subsequent rankings may not count. Avoid placing two filled ovals in one ranking column.

A simple ranked-choice ballot example

Suppose a fictional election has three candidates: Jordan, Morgan and Taylor. You prefer Jordan, but if Jordan is eliminated, you’d rather support Taylor than Morgan.

If Jordan remains in the count, your vote stays with Jordan. If Jordan is eliminated, your ballot can transfer to Taylor. If Taylor is subsequently eliminated, Morgan could become the next continuing preference.

You are also free to rank only Jordan or rank just Jordan and Taylor. Don’t mark a candidate you don’t wish to support merely because an empty ranking column remains.

Practice carefully, then use the actual ballot

Review the official ballot layout to see where the oval columns are located. If you make a mistake while marking your official ballot at a polling place, ask an election worker for a replacement rather than trying to repair it yourself.

2026 primary vs general vs REAA sample ballots

Alaska’s sample-ballot directory contains several election types. The labels matter because different contests and voting rules can apply.

Someone looking up their November 3 ballot should choose the 2026 General Election entry rather than the primary or REAA archives. In addition, city and borough municipal elections are administered separately from the state’s regular general election.

Alaska 2026 voting dates to know

The official 2026 election calendar and absentee voting instructions identify the main voter deadlines.

Dates for receipt of mailed ballots and for military, overseas, remote or other special voting categories can differ from the ordinary Election Day return rule. Always read the instructions supplied with your particular ballot.

Translated Alaska sample ballots and voter assistance

Alaska serves many communities with distinct language needs. The Division’s sample-ballot directory includes 2026 translations in languages such as Chevak Cup’ik, Northern Inupiaq, Nunivak Cup’ig, multiple Yup’ik varieties and Filipino (Tagalog).

The available translated ballot versions are tied to applicable communities and districts. A translation listing doesn’t mean every translated language is available for every House district.

Some election assistance may also be delivered through bilingual workers, audio guidance and the state’s language-assistance program. For help finding an appropriate version or understanding how assistance works, contact the Division’s Language Assistance Program.

Language support is especially important when reading ballot measures or judicial retention questions. If a sample includes unfamiliar legal wording, ask for the official language-assistance resource rather than relying on an unofficial translation.

How to find where to vote after viewing your ballot

A sample ballot helps you prepare your choices; it doesn’t tell you that any nearby election office is your assigned polling location.

1. Check the polling-place listing.Use the state’s polling-place directory for current locations and precinct information.
2. Check alternatives if you’ll be away.The early and absentee in-person voting locations page lists participating sites, schedules, and which districts’ ballots are served.
3. Read the location notes.Hours can vary significantly by community, with some remote or permanent absentee communities following special arrangements.
4. Bring appropriate identification.Consult the Division’s voter instructions to determine acceptable ID or the procedure if you cannot present one.

Some regional offices and early-voting sites offer ballots for multiple districts; other locations may have a restricted selection. Check the listed district coverage before traveling.

If your precinct has moved

Official polling-place records sometimes show new addresses or updated facility names. Use the state’s current listing rather than an old postcard or a search-engine map pin.

Common Alaska sample-ballot mistakes to avoid

• Opening the wrong election: Select the November 3 general election rather than the August primary or October REAA election.
• Choosing the wrong House district: Verify your assigned district before comparing names.
• Expecting every contest to appear statewide: State legislative and some judicial contests depend on location.
• Confusing candidate order with ballot eligibility: The state rotates candidate order among district ballot versions.
• Ranking the same position twice: Fill only one oval in each ranking column.
• Skipping multiple ranks: Two consecutive skipped rankings can cause later preferences not to count.
• Assuming a sample is a cast ballot: An informational printout is not an official voted ballot.
• Ignoring the reverse or later pages: Measures and other questions may appear beyond the candidate section.
• Using outdated candidate screenshots: Official ballot preparation can change following withdrawals, substitutions, or other election events; rely on the released final sample.

Alaska Division of Elections office location and contact information

The Division of Elections’ director’s office is at the Court Plaza Building, 240 Main Street, 4th Floor, Juneau, AK 99801. This is the statewide administration office, not a universal polling place.

Which location should you use? For a particular sample ballot or voting location, identify your assigned precinct or relevant region. For absentee-by-mail questions, the Absentee and Petition Office is the more appropriate contact. Use the official contacts and regional-office directory for up-to-date details.